Angled RJ to RJ patch panel

• US 6,736,670 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2001
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Clark, Gordon P., Schmidt, John, Mattson, Loren
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Lynn
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUVERNE, JEAN F
• Application Number:
  US09/991,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20030096536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 439/540.1, 439/699, 439/532, 439/540, 439/541.5, 439/716, 439/709, 439/954, 439/676, 439/638, 439/142, 439/344, 439/701, 439/639, 439/608, 439/296, 439/631
• US Class Current: 439/540.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/465 Identification means, e.g. labels, tags, markings H01R9/2475, H01R9/2683 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/506 assembled by snap action of the parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/518 for holding or embracing several coupling parts, e.g. frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/743 integral with the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/04 for network, e.g. LAN connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/06 Cable ducts or mountings specially adapted for exchange installations
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/13 Patch panels for monitoring, interconnecting or testing circuits, e.g. patch bay, patch field or jack field; Patching modules

Abstract

A patch panel including a plurality of electrical connector assemblies, wherein each of the electrical connector assemblies comprises a first jack presented on a first side of a panel frame of the patch panel and a second jack electrically linked to the first jack to form a jack pair and presented on a second side of the panel frame. Both the first jack and the second jack are presented at an angle with respect to the panel frame, and both the first jack and the second jack may be engaged using a patch cord. The first and second jack of each jack pair are at a 90-degree angle relative to one another.

Claims

1. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

a first jack including;

a first housing;

a first port defined by a first front side of the first housing; and

a plurality of first springs disposed within the first port adjacent a first bottom of the first housing;

a second jack including;

a second housing;

a second port defined by a second front side of the second housing; and

a plurality of second springs disposed within the second port adjacent a second bottom of the second housing;

an electrical connection between the plurality of first and second springs;

wherein the first jack is positioned at a 90-degree angle in relation to the second jack such that a first line running parallel to the first bottom and through the first front side and the first back side is perpendicular to a second line running parallel to the second bottom and through the second front side and the second back side, and wherein the first line and second line intersect at a point outside the first and second housings.

2. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector assembly is disposed in a patch panel including a panel frame, such that the first jack and the second jack are both positioned at a 45-degree angle in relation to the panel frame.

3. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

a first jack including;

a first housing;

a first port defined by a first front side of the first housing; and

a plurality of first springs disposed within the first port adjacent a first bottom of the first housing;

a second jack including;

a second housing;

a second port defined by a second front side of the second housing; and

a plurality of second springs disposed within the second port adjacent a second bottom of the second housing; and

a board, wherein the board includes first and second ends and top and bottom surfaces, and wherein the first jack is coupled to the first end and the top surface of the board so that the first port opens outwardly in parallel with the first end and the second jack is coupled to the second end and the bottom surface so that the second port opens outwardly perpendicular to the bottom surface, the board including electrical connections between the plurality of first and second springs.

4. The electrical connector assembly of claim 3, further comprising a cover coupled to the board and the first housing of the first jack.

5. The electrical connector assembly of claim 4, wherein the cover includes at least two locking tabs that engage at least two apertures defined by the first housing so as to secure the cover to the electrical connector assembly.

6. The electrical connector assembly of claim 3, wherein the first housing includes a first latch groove and the second housing includes a second latch groove, wherein the first latch groove is positioned on the first housing at a point furthermost away from the board at the first end and the second latch groove is positioned on the second housing at a point furthermost away from the board at the second end.

7. The electrical connector assembly of claim 3, wherein the electrical connector assembly is disposed in a patch panel including a panel frame, such that the first jack and the second jack are both positioned at a 45-degree angle in relation to the panel frame.

8. A telecommunications patch panel comprising:

a first panel side and a second panel side;

a plurality of first jacks disposed on the first panel side, such that each of the plurality of first jacks is positioned at a 45-degree angle in relation to the first panel side; and

a plurality of second jacks electrically connected to the first jacks to form jack pairs, the second jacks being disposed on the second panel side, such that each of the plurality of second jacks is positioned at a 45-degree angle in relation to the second panel side, wherein the first and second jacks of each jack pair are positioned at a 90-degree angle in relation to each other.

9. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of first jacks defines a first port including a first latch groove and each of the plurality of second jacks defines a second port including a second latch groove, wherein the first latch groove of each of the plurality of first jacks is positioned at an outermost edge of each of the plurality of first jacks in relation to the first panel side, and wherein the second latch groove of each of the plurality of second jacks is positioned at an outermost edge of each of the plurality of electrical connectors in relation to the second panel side.

10. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 8, wherein the jack pairs are first jack pairs, and further comprising:

a plurality of third jacks disposed on the first panel side, such that each of the plurality of third jacks is positioned at a 45-degree angle in relation to the first panel side; and

a plurality of fourth jacks electrically connected to the third jacks to form second jack pairs, the fourth jacks being disposed on the second panel side, such that each of the plurality of fourth jacks is positioned at a 45-degree angle in relation to the second panel side, wherein the third and fourth jacks of each second jack pair are positioned at a 90-degree angle in relation to each other;

wherein the first and second jacks of each first jack pair are directed toward a first end of the patch panel and the third and fourth jacks of each second jack pair are directed toward a second opposite end of the patch panel.

11. A telecommunications patch panel comprising:

a panel frame including a first panel side and a second panel side;

at least one first jack disposed on the first panel side, such that the first jack is positioned at a first angle less than 90-degrees in relation to the first panel side; and

at least one second jack disposed on the second panel side, such that the second jack is positioned at a second angle less than 90-degrees in relation to the second panel side, the at least one first jack electrically connected to the at least one second jack to form a jack pair, each jack having a directional component facing in the same direction for each jack pair.

12. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 11, wherein the jack pair is a first jack pair, and further comprising:

at least one third jack disposed on the first panel side, such that the third jack is positioned at a third angle less than 90-degrees in relation to the first panel side; and

at least one fourth jack disposed on the second panel side, such that the fourth jack is positioned at a fourth angle less than 90-degrees in relation to the second panel side, the at least one third jack electrically connected to the at least one fourth jack to form a second jack pair, each jack having a directional component facing in the same direction for each second jack pair and in an opposite direction as the first jack pair formed by the at least one first jack and the at least one second jack.

13. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 11, wherein the first jack is coupled to the second jack through a connector location defined by the panel frame, such that the first jack forms a 90-degree angle with respect to the second jack.

14. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 13, wherein the first jack and the second jack form an electrical connector assembly, and wherein the electrical connector assembly is releasably coupled to the patch panel via a notch defined in a first edge of the first jack sized to engage a first surface of the connector location and a locking tab and a shoulder positioned on a second edge of the first jack so as to engage a second surface of the connector location.

15. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 11, wherein the first angle and the second angle are 45 degrees.

16. A connector assembly for use in a telecommunications patch panel comprising:

a jack assembly having;

an first jack including;

a first housing; and

a first port defined by a first front side of the first housing;

a second jack comprising;

a second housing; and

a second port defined by a second front side of the second housing;

a latch arrangement for mounting the jack assembly to a planar opening defined by the telecommunications patch panel;

wherein the first housing is coupled to the second housing such that the first port is at a first angle in relation to the second port, and wherein when the connector is disposed and latched within the planar opening, the first housing is at a second angle with respect to a first side of the panel frame and the second housing is at the second angle with respect to a second side of the panel frame.

17. The connector assembly of claim 16, wherein the first angle is 90 degrees.

18. The connector assembly of claim 16, wherein the second angle is 45 degrees.

19. The connector assembly of claim 16, wherein the latch arrangement includes having a notch on a first edge of the first housing and a locking tab and a shoulder on an opposing second edge of the first housing for attachment to the panel frame.

20. The connector assembly of claim 16, wherein the first jack is electrically connected to the second jack.

21. A method of assembling a telecommunications patch panel, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a connector assembly comprising a first jack including a first port and a second jack including a second port, wherein the first jack and the second jack are positioned at a 90-degree angle with respect to one another;

positioning the connector assembly adjacent to a connector location defined by a panel frame of the telecommunications patch panel such that the second port is adjacent to a first side of the telecommunications patch panel;

inserting and rotating the connector assembly in relation to the telecommunications patch panel so that the second jack is shifted through the connector location to a second side of the telecommunications patch panel;

seating a first portion of the connector assembly on a first side surface of the connector location; and

snapping a second portion of the first jack to engage a second side surface of the connector location such that the first jack is positioned at a 45-degree angle with respect to the first side of the telecommunications patch panel and the second jack is positioned at a 45-degree angle with respect to the second side of the telecommunications patch panel.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the seating step comprises the step of providing a notch on the first edge to engage the first side surface of the connector location.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the snapping step comprises the step of providing a locking tab and a shoulder on the second edge to engage the second side surface of the connector location.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the providing step further comprises a step of connecting electrically a plurality of first springs disposed within the first jack to a plurality of second springs disposed within the second jack.